ST. LOUIS — This is the day church kitchens fire up the fryers for the first Friday of Lent.
Christians from multiple denominations often give up meat on Fridays as a sacrifice in honor of Jesus. Fish takes its place — and it's become more than just a meal.
"We go out in the neighborhood, put up fliers, we want neighborhood people to come and we want everybody to come," Most Holy Trinity Catholic Church parishioner Veronica Hoxworth said.
People can't miss the gray stone spires of the downtown St. Louis church rising into the sky, the Gateway Arch and skyline off in the distance.
"We have people come from Illinois," Hoxworth said. "We have people come from Florissant, we have people come from all over."
One of those visitors is Jerry Feldhaus.
"I'll tell you, we were raised in this neighborhood," said Feldhaus, who comes back year after year "for the people, the church and the fish."
Feldhaus joked that what he wasn't giving up for Lent was fish.
"It's not fish," smiled Feldhaus. "The fish is really good."
Feldhaus mixes it up, sometimes getting cod, sometimes the catfish.
The official recommendation from Hoxworth, who cooks in the kitchen: "I like the cod, but I love the tilapia. That tilapia has real butter and lemon pepper and real lemons. It's good."
The fish fry at Most Holy Trinity will continue through all Fridays during Lent. The church serves cod, catfish, tilapia and fried mac and cheese from 12 p.m.–6 p.m.
The 175th birthday party for Most Holy Trinity will be on May 14.
St. Louis Archbishop Mitchell Rozanski will preside over the anniversary mass at 9:30 a.m.